The notion of beginning again is paramount to our journeys of self-development and personal growth.
We can all benefit from cutting ourselves some slack.
Sometimes we go backwards and revisit experiences,
Relationships,
Thoughts,
Patterns,
Emotions,
And behaviors.
All the things.
Things we thought we left behind us,
Or felt should be behind us.
What's not helpful is letting these slip-ups become layered with feelings of shame,
Guilt,
Or failure.
And what is helpful is self-love,
Patience,
Forgiveness,
Gratitude,
And acceptance.
Sometimes it's easier to be the calm,
Cool voice of reason for others than it is to talk to ourselves that way.
But talking to ourselves that way is essential.
That's where the magic happens.
And remembering that we can begin again,
And giving ourselves permission to begin again each day,
Or even at any moment in any given day,
Is integral to our own well-being.
And we can practice beginning again in meditation.
And this is our intention for today.
So let's begin.
Take a moment to settle yourself into your seat.
If at any time during the meditation you need to shift your position,
Feel free to do so mindfully.
You can close your eyes or have them capped with your gaze lowered.
And if you feel like you need to open your eyes during the meditation,
Feel free to do so.
And then when you're ready,
Close or cap them again and return to the meditation.
You can let your hands rest on your lap or on your knees.
Whatever feels best for you.
Start by mindfully taking a full breath in,
And slowly letting it out.
Mindfully take another full breath in,
And slowly let it out.
Continue to settle yourself.
Let yourself wiggle about if you feel called to.
And really nestle your bottom into your seat until you feel comfortable.
Until you feel grounded.
And supported.
Until you feel held.
Turn your attention now to the unique rhythm of your own breath.
Don't worry about changing anything.
Simply bear witness to your natural in-breath and your natural out-breath.
Paying attention to your breath might look like noticing the sensation of the cool air passing through your nostrils as you inhale.
And then you might notice the slightly warmer air passing through your nostrils as you exhale.
And as the rhythm of your breath draws you into deeper states of relaxation,
Perhaps the otherwise subtle movements of your body are becoming more noticeable.
Perhaps you notice the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe in,
And then out.
Perhaps you notice the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe in,
And then out.
And perhaps you don't really notice anything.
There's no right or wrong here.
Whatever your experience is,
Is the experience that's meant for you.
Right here.
Right now.
Right here.
Right now.
And if the expectation of a particular experience is holding your attention,
Gently let that expectation go.
Return to the breath.
Intentionally turning your attention to the focus of your meditation is what's meant by beginning again.
Let's encourage an even deeper state of relaxation by intentionally making your next few breaths a little bit bigger,
A little bit deeper,
And a little bit longer.
Now let go of this intentional regulation of your breath and let it return to its natural rhythm and depth.
Throughout your meditation,
Whenever you notice that your mind has wandered off,
Or a sound in your environment distracts you,
Gently guide your attention back to your breath and begin again.
You can guide your attention back to the movement of your body as your breath flows through you.
And let this attention to your breath be your anchor to the present moment,
To a place you can return to,
To a place that,
For now,
Feels like home.
The late Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us that feelings and thoughts come and go like clouds in a windy sky,
And conscious breathing is our anchor to the present moment.
As you meditate,
Notice that everything slows down and becomes quieter.
Find peace in the silence.
And when thought takes you away,
Once you notice it,
Gently let it go by bringing your attention back to your breath,
By beginning again.
And each time you notice your mind has drifted away,
It's like a little victory,
Because you've noticed it.
Find peace in the silence.
And when thought takes you away,
Once you notice it,
Gently let it go by bringing your attention back to your breath.
And each time you notice your mind has drifted away,
It's like a little victory,
Because you've noticed it.
And each time you consciously return your awareness to your breath is confirmation that you're developing your ability to begin again.
So do so with gentleness.
And be kind to yourself.
For this is the practice.
You might notice other distractions besides thoughts.
Perhaps you're distracted by a sensation in your body,
A sound in your environment,
Or a shift in your emotions.
These are all parts of your experience.
And when you notice it happening,
Acknowledge it for what it is.
It's simply a distraction.
And life is full of them.
And it's a habit of the mind to follow it.
It's natural.
Gently accept these distractions for what they are.
And return your attention to the sensations of your breath.
Back to the sensation of the cold air entering your nostrils as you inhale.
And to the sensation of the warmer air passing through your nostrils as you exhale.
You may find that your breath spontaneously gets faster,
Or slower,
Deeper,
Or shallower.
It might even pause for a moment.
Observe these and any other changes without trying to control,
Resist,
Anticipate,
Or expect anything.
There's nothing special that's supposed to happen.
So welcome everything.
And practice beginning again.
And let go.
And practice beginning again.
And again.
And again.
Returning again to stillness.
Returning again to silence.
Returning again to the feeling of being at peace.
We'll spend the next five minutes in silence.
And I'll keep track of the time.
During this period,
Continue to let yourself breathe naturally.
And should you become distracted during this time,
Simply bring your attention back to the breath.
And begin again.
And as you begin to transition out of your meditation,
I'll invite you to keep your eyes closed.
And slowly start to reacquaint yourself with the sensation of being in your environment.
Notice the space your physical body is taking up.
And allow your body to wake up slowly by allowing for any movement your body is asking you for.
Notice the feel of the surface beneath you.
The sounds around you.
Notice any lingering taste in your mouth.
And when you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes.
